The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-27

An Incident IN the Lifa OF . Tavern Keeper
In an Ohio River Town.


IN an Ohio River Town.
Speaking about nerve" said Brooks, as he
sat at a table In the ofico Of the Commercial
Travellers Association, tho bravest man I
ever mot was one Prescott Of Evansville, Ind.
He was q daisy. I often stayed at his place--a
sort OF tavern, saloon, billiard room, and dance
hall combined. 1t was like this: There was a
bit OF property which had boon idle for years.
All sorts Of men had tried to run 1t, but they
had to get out. They lacked the required
nerve. The bloods would cross over from Hem
derson. KY, and make 1t disagreeable for the
landlord. They would play his billiards and
drink his whiskey, and then whom asked for
pay would set In and clean his shop out. Final
ly this man Prescott heard Of this property for
sale, found the price low, and 80 bought It In.
But 1 don't suppose he knew just what allied
the property, for he was from New Hampshire.
Il just wish you could have seen the cussl
Why, he didn't look big enough to whip q cat.
He was one Of those Slim Jims. with sandy
hair and weak legs. a sallow-faced. light, wa
terry blue-eyed fellow. I was travelling through
there at that time. and I happened along a
week or SC, after Prescott got started. He had
fixed the place up in style. ! drove up a dusk.
drink, prepared Sd to e 70 out o rrth;e' g" evening: I
lard room; They we're dressed wei. and had
and sIsp t lett I Them playing Billiards and DIS smoking KIM
S%Sfsas.1 s W'tn back nI~ to sn The 't tsRe r s@ att Sa = sh Shs,
seem sss f. b sn; 5iI5 The MISTER 4 VIII I tS:n tSen:
ana s!R e az AFRAID III shs sSH Boys Viii fiH eve me- ssleo;uele.
Wen, this is that t., Henderson gang I'ye
s seasa an SO t %nfa they 81; can maey run FL fhin s!sh R Tseis
emma Ia tn Rat all thew ran AMI nav nnfhfDO
. .Ss I. get s Sst saey thew E'1 s ssSs OUT Ut & es Re %' r lot what
marked be thought it would rain next day. I
e. e. s voSnk Si0 nsss II the tb sso Sf,I Ehsrs so ! sOuIf see
mon. They had been to the. bar pretty often,
and they were 9 III trIle lively in their piay' and
t sFaab Hsf I c S'!i dnS for Spf The sf life Of me s% make &,'e out. Oh
han Su' F eifsstty tw so0a Of ' tssm ees seok 70 a Ss soCd 's stifF
thumbs over their shoulders as they moved
"'F REsss SsSss si %if3'e !yn,z MAKE %sa this al Al , feas b..
Then q Couple more took biz drink and tRe
best cigars. and out. they went.
"",TT bs,s other Rsro boys D0y ~ b sharI ds settle b the o ssore H..
inside. Pretty soon they came out. too. They
ranged along the bar. filled up two or three
times GROUND and then started for the door.
18th, They Pa 2 Other then looked Sks ! srogna %eIIldly5e,
BsS"SeS' He 81 q t hhsH sssss s Sa? stood behind the
Prescott. with his thin. white face showing
Please TO pay for what you've had
oth .WaIIe!!e've got no money. Pay yer some
tr mThen nn something e, ! p happened: The little White, t..
his legs and before the KentuckiGns compre-
hended what, was to. happen he had his back
%ish iMd tb BE- S hopss a pisto tse H IT'S ,s ssss Hss s sey WS3is
as chalk, but I tell you his blue eyes blazed. In
an instant. after recovering from their sur:
R%resse TT h sdn Them Tn1 too We ,Ht eo 'Ss's s0HHs r. sa ad:
The man that attempts. to draw his shooter
Ss,ssf S %ss E H %ss shall saiflHis ssRe shis room &C I'll iii T. fv g
had what's due me-
about Sia l q minu very %uf fre ass SlG SIaz there si for
and his ugly looking guns took the starch out
81 S1yIn tke on f4a " nang and 6 Bpst ~ t se9n s thIssy tried to
I've left. our money home. Let us out and
well fetch 1t to yee,',
This was Prescott's determined answer. In
lyon put your watch, on the cigar case
Tho big horse pistols were lowered.
Nov, gentlemen. come up and have somo-
-, Prescott said this with all the suavity lmag.
Unable. as he resumed. his place behind the bar,
and pretty soon the Kentuckians, were lifting
In liquor as, naturally as II nothing unusual
~ss M fsssysS Why that sspe was full Q, 4.
round, and paid for It. and refused to take any
OF course after awhile they got tired
while one Of them Insisted on kissing the bar,
tender. Finally they went of loaded right to
fSak a tas sG q h wsaGs df aSlisr 81 o. S0s sood k snt assy
money In the place OF It..
cleaned you out YETI
mot yet,
He smiled. The most profitable customers
he had were those wild Henderson boys. They
knew nerve whom they saw 1t. and they liked It,h
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